Evaluating the environment for public-private partnerships in Latin America and the Caribbean: The 2010 Infrascope: A guide to the index and methodology

This document describes the second edition of Infrascope, a learning tool and benchmarking index that assesses the capacity of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to carry out sustainable public-private infrastructure partnerships. The analysis and content covers the time period from July of 2009 through August of 2010. The Infrascope features an Economist Intelligence Unit evaluation of each country, but also allows stakeholders to self-score indicators and re-weight categories. These characteristics enable the Infrascope to serve as both a benchmarking index and a learning tool. Although the index is not designed as an investment tool for private sector financiers (as the data and indicators are largely qualitative and aggregate sectors), it provides a valuable starting point for a private-public dialogue about improving project conditions and strategies. The Infrascope does this by analysing the laws, regulations, institutions and practices that relate to infrastructure projects and by tracking these over time.